Musings

We know from a body of research that the ability to self-soothe, delay gratification, and meet emotional needs are the most necessary skills for our children’s long-term success. In fact, studies have shown that these skills may be more important than IQ scores and as such, have become a core focus for parenting today.

Knowing where to focus should make parenting easier and yet why do so many parents always feel exhausted, that their patience is eternally thin and tried and that they are just “out of ideas” for ways to have their child “get with the program”? Parents are not using their number one tool, Mindful Discipline, to enrich the lives of their children. Instead, parents are frequently using discipline as punitive punishment, whether purposefully or not. Sadly, it is all too easy for parents to fall into the trap of giving time outs, threatening and yelling – even when it is known that these types of discipline do not work with children, at all.

What is the most beautiful city by the bay, you ask? Quite literally, San Francisco has my heart. It is THE city by the bay (as far as I'm concerned) and you are guaranteed to fall in love with it, as well. It is the city where I was born and once called home. So, for me, visits to San Francisco are filled with family time and re-visiting nostalgic haunts from my childhood. That said, since traveling there with my tykes in tow, I’ve had to re-create child-friendly itineraries that we all find fun and vacation-worthy. In this city, that is easy peasy.

San Francisco is one of those rare and special places where both children and adults are easily entertained. A myriad of experiences await in a variety of different neighborhoods around San Francisco and some even better hotspots just outside the city. And whether you’re driven by your taste buds, a desire to explore nature or shop in some of the world’s best boutiques, San Francisco cannot be beat...

Schools out and summer has arrived. Congratulations on surviving yet another school year! Your reward? Warm summer days filled with sun-kissed children, smelling faintly of dirt, sunscreen and melting popsicles; Sleeping in and spending days in jammies; Time spent enjoying each other's company without the pressures of maintaining a schedule; Fun and unique activities; No more packing lunches and less driving. Ha!

If your children are anything like mine, they’ve already made and shared LONG mental lists of the new and fun activities they want to partake in this summer. Listening to their “list of summer fun” is honestly stress-inducing – oh, the pressure to entertain them! Isn’t that what school is for? Or technology? Ha! Ha!

There’s actually much about our Summer Schedule that I really, really look forward to and love. For starters, I’m done packing lunches…DONE. If my girls need a lunch, they pack...

Spring is no longer “almost” upon us. It is here. And while we haven’t completely dried out from rainy skies and heavy snowfalls, we’re fortunate to have some really great escapes that promise sun, relaxation, mocktails and cocktails by the pool or sea, whatever your pleasure, almost any time of the year. As our calendars collide with Spring breaks and Summer vacation planning, it makes sense to share a sampling of my favorite Family-Friendly destinations in our beautiful USA.

Every day, for the next week, I’ll highlight one of my most favorite Kiddin’ Around destinations for your best family vacation yet. Whether you’re searching for luxury or less is more, stay tuned for my hints, suggestions and secrets in this year’s Kiddin’ Around – 2017 Spring Break Edition.

Being partial to my home state, California, we’ll start on the West Coast. With many beautiful and diverse cities, California features two cities by the bay that offer year-round entertainment for children...

Today, March 1st marks three years since my Dad suffered a minor heart attack that brought him into the ER for a “routine” procedure. Two hours later, he was on various forms of life support and the “sickest man in the hospital”. Two months later, in a different hospital, in the early morning hours on May 6th, he passed away quietly, surrounded by his immediate family. It has been (almost) three years since I lost my dad and this is the first time, that I’ve felt clear-headed enough to really think about what the last three years have been like – how I’ve felt, how I’ve changed, my perspective on life after death and what is most important now. Mostly, I finally have a handle on my grief in a way where I can reflect on it without being overcome by it. This just happened. I just made it here. It took three years to get to this point. So, I thought I’d take a few moments and openly reflect on my personal journey. From what I’ve learned and now know, our journeys through grief are...

In 2013, mom and Body Image Activist, Taryn Brumfitt posted an unconventional photo of herself, online. The images went viral and were seen by over 100 million people. It sparked an international media frenzy. Following the posting, Taryn was moved to travel the world, talking to men and women, exploring the global issues of body loathing and where it comes from. Taryn's goal is to change the way we feel about ourselves and more importantly, how we think about our own bodies.

Taryn’s journey led to the birth of the Body Image Movement and the release of the documentary, Embrace. The Body Image movement’s goal is to educate and empower women into acceptance of all body types; to transform our body shaming and body loathing into body loving.

If you are a woman, a parent, teacher, Administrator, Social Worker, School Counselor, Psychologist...this movie is a MUST SEE. If you have a daughter who is in 8th grade or older, you are encouraged to bring her. That said, this movie is not for child...

Divisiveness, Racism, Segregation, Fear. These are most often the words used to describe how Donald Trump (and his team) ran his campaign. Now, as we wake up to the reality that he will be our next President, we must come together, persevere and figure out how we talk to our children about “what happens now.” If you believed in Trump and are happy with the situation - congratulations on the outcome and I hope for all of us he is the President you must have believed he could be.

Yesterday my social media feeds were filled with words and pictures of optimism, children participating in the voting process, and encouraging sentiments. Today, those same feeds are filled with dread for what’s to come and sadness for what just happened.

How did we miss the boat to elect our First Woman President and when will that opportunity come again?

What’s important now is that we NOT fixate on what went wrong or what could have been. What’s important now is to march forward, heads held high...

I am a girl who likes a pink drink! I know, I know - you’re thinking: cranberry martini, glass of Rose wine, or a raspberry-infused mojito. Nope! While I won’t turn those down, what I’m really talking about is a Shirley Temple! So, when I walked into Claudine’s and saw that their Soda Fountain was comprised of craft sodas, with a Shirley Temple option, my heart was sold. But that was just the beginning.

The two co-owners, Lea and Anthony, couldn’t be more inviting and excited about their new venture. They are making a superbly concerted effort to talk to and get to know the customers that walk through their doors, every day, making this new Café feel like a true neighborhood haunt. The fact that the food is Organic, Locally sourced and delicious…is an all-time added bonus.

Lea is a pastry chef and arrives around 3AM every morning to bake ALL of their sweets, fresh, daily. Anthony heads up the savories with a Classical and Fine Dining Training. The two...

As I write this, I have a pit in my stomach and tears streaming down my face. I share this vulnerability with you because all too often, we do not. All too often, we remain withdrawn, closed off and emotionally unavailable. All too often, we do not represent ourselves truly, honestly, authentically – especially when we’re grieving.

Someone says, “How are you doing?” and I say, “I’m okay. It’s a hard day but I’m fine”. Do you know how I really feel and what I really want to say? What I really want to do is yell, “I’m not fine, I miss my dad and I’m pretty fucking pissed off that he’s not here.” How would you deal with that kind of response?

As a society and especially as moms, we are quick to showcase anything and everything that is going “well”. Achievements (big and small), smiling families, parties, announcements, awards…these postings highlight the virtual walls of Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Pinterest or Twitter. These images a...

Drugs. For most parents, this word and the idea of what it represents, evokes fear, anxiety and the unknown. If you have a child between the ages of 8 and 13, you may even feel that you’re staring down the tracks of a freight train plowing, headlights first, into you. Maybe you don’t know what to expect, how to start the conversation with your child, or you simply don’t want to have the conversation at all. If you’re like many, you may even be thinking, “Not me. I’m a good, involved mom (or dad). That won’t happen to me. “ Denial.

Tonight, thanks to Jen Levinson's hard work, I attended Down and Dirty’s first community-wide sponsored event. Generously hosted by the Canyon Club, Down and Dirty aimed to educate the attendees on this growing epidemic. Drugs are sweeping through our homes, schools, clubs, religious affiliations and the social events that we send our children to, thinking they’re safe. This affects us all. We cannot ignore this...